Warning: This piece contains spoilers.
New York in the 1990s, bike rides in the rain, an avoidantly-attached girlboss, and the son of a former president who falls for her—this is what the new FX show, Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette, offers. Produced by “the most powerful man in TV,” Ryan Murphy, this series is a dramatic retelling of the tragically beautiful romance between Calvin Klein’s fashion publicist, Carolyn Bessette, and People’s 1988’s Sexiest Man Alive, John F. Kennedy (JFK) Jr.
Starring Sarah Pidgeon and newcomer Paul Anthony Kelly, the show dramatizes the relationship between the most eligible bachelor of the ‘90s and the woman who finally captured his heart. Among recent pleas on social media to “bring back yearning,” the show lives up to the task. The lead actors yearn, suffer and plead throughout, but especially in a particularly memorable scene where John stands in the rain at Carolyn’s doorstep, pleading to come in, managing to make me feel particularly single. It’s beautiful.
The show shines a light on this cherished love story whilst critiquing the intensity of the press, which felt it had a right to invade the private lives of the Kennedy family. Pidgeon’s portrayal of Carolyn Bessette stands out as she encompasses the legend of this powerful woman whilst delivering a relatable and raw performance. The Kennedys are depicted with all the pompousness, pride, and ridiculousness that accompany a dynasty family endlessly preoccupied with upholding their title as “America’s Royal Family.” The show explores their humanness, depicting JFK Jr. as a well-intentioned, intelligent, and caring, privileged man, used to things going his way. In contrast, Carolyn Bessette is the first woman who is not set on indulging him, and what results is a love story that transcends time.
In his breakout role, Kelly delivers a convincing performance as America’s Prince, quickly becoming Canada’s boyfriend by virtue of being an Ontario native. Episode 5: Battery Park stands out as a cautionary tale about the potential downfall of women who risk giving up their identity by marrying powerful men. After receiving John’s marriage proposal, Carolyn must decide whether marrying the man she loves is worth having her life publicly scrutinized and invaded. Reminiscent of Princess Diana’s marriage to King Charles III, the love story between Bessette and JFK Jr. has fascinated the public since the ‘90s, only amplified by their tragic death in a 1999 plane crash.
Notably, Kennedy family members, including Jack Schlossberg, have criticized the show’s creators for not contacting them before making the series. The show’s creators have defended their choice, claiming it allowed them to remain objective in their treatment of the material. They were thus able to take creative liberties whilst retaining the allure of the love story that has fascinated people for three decades. Accordingly, the show stands out as a beautifully entertaining story that exposes the highs and lows of the mesmerizing romance. It makes me want to move to New York, fall in love, wear a capsule wardrobe, and dye my hair platinum blonde.
Still, it is important to question the ethics of adapting a story without the subject’s consent. Further, we must also question the necessity of platforming a family that has consistently dominated American politics. Wouldn’t it be better to adapt novel love stories or romances that have remained hidden on the margins of history? In my view, shows like Fellow Travelers greatly succeed at this task.Despite everything, Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette is a great watch and reinvents the look of love, because telling someone you ardently need to see them while standing in the rain is a lot more romantic than receiving a “you up?” text at 1 a.m.
